Beautifully Broken

“I have nothing to say to you, Mr. Cooper.”

He knocks louder this time. “I’m sure I’m making quite the scene out here. You probably want to let me in before it gets worse. Oh, look, your neighbor three doors down is watching me.”

Damn him! Of course he’d use my fear of gossip against me. And he has to mention the one neighbor I know would use this as a conversation starter. I swing open the door and step aside with a huff.

“Get in here, asshole.”

He smiles triumphantly as he walks into my living room and perches himself against the back of the couch. “Now, Miss Kennedy, is that any way to speak to your teacher?”

I slam the door and roll my eyes. “Please. You and I both know you’re not here as my teacher.”

He shrugs. “Hey, you’re the one who pulled out the ‘Mr. Cooper’.”

Crossing my arms, I say, “What do you want, Gavin?”

Cybil stumbles out of her bedroom looking a little worse for wear. “Baby Girl, what’s all the noise about? I have a wicked hangover so I’m trying to rest before work.” She spots Gavin and instantly morphs into business mode, smoothing down her hair and smiling seductively. “Oh, I’m sorry, honey. I didn’t realize you had company.”

Gavin takes her in and offers his hand. “We didn’t officially meet the last time I was here. I’m Gavin.”

“It’s lovely to meet you, Gavin,” she purrs. “I’m Katherine’s roommate, Cybil.”

“Cut the shit, Mother,” I scold.

His eyes widen in surprise as he looks between me and Cybil. She’s dressed in a pair of sleep shorts that ride halfway up her ass cheeks and a tank top that leaves very little to the imagination. I can see him trying to fit all the puzzle pieces together. He’s taken note of the label I’ve given her but it’s not quite jiving with her appearance. As I mentioned before, Cybil and I look nothing alike and she’s at least a decade younger than a typical high school student’s parent. With the way she dresses and acts, she seems even younger still.

“Mother?” he questions.

“Yep,” I c

onfirm. “She’s my mommy dearest. I bet that answers quite a few questions, huh?”

“Katherine!” Cybil says. “Don’t be so rude!”

“She’s your mom? Seriously?”

“Tell me, Gavin,” Cybil interrupts. “How do you and my darling daughter know each other?”

Gavin pulls on his hair. “Uh…”

“He’s my Lit teacher, Mom,” I offer. “I’m fucking him for an easy A.”

Gavin’s jaw drops. “What the hell, Kat?”

Cybil laughs. “Oh, don’t mind her; Katherine likes to joke around.” She looks at me pointedly. “Though she could certainly work on her style of humor.”

“You know me…I’m just a big ol’ jokester,” I mumble.

He sighs. “Kat, can we please go somewhere to talk?”

I raise my eyebrows. “Do you really think that’s wise? Anyone from school could see us, Teach.”

Cybil chuckles. “Oh, Katherine, give the poor man a few minutes. I’m going back to bed so you can talk here.”

“Great,” I mutter.

He waits until she closes her bedroom door. “So…that’s your mom, huh? I didn’t think I’d be meeting the folks so early in our relationship.”

“Ha ha. We don’t have a relationship, remember?”